Little chance of water for Texas rice growers

Determination of whether there will be water for growing rice in Texas in 2014 from the Colorado River is still in the air, but it isn’t looking good.

The online Texas Tribune report by Neena Satija explains that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality couldn’t make a decision on “instituting a temporary emergency plan that would likely cut off the flow of water to rice farmers in the Lower Colorado River Basin for the third straight year.”

Agency staffers were thought to have recommended approving the cut off of water, but the commission referred the issue to an administrative law judge who is hearing arguments and must make a recommendation by Feb. 21.

It appears the commission wants out of being blamed by either side of the argument on keeping Colorado River water from going downstream or letting it flow. There are several concerned groups on either side of the issue.